Jonathan Paiement, who developed into one of the steadier members of the Hershey Bears defensive corps last season after his recall from the Texas Wildcatters of the ECHL, has signed a two-way AHL contract with Albany for the 2008-09 season.

During the 2007-08 regular season, the 23-year-old Paiement, an eighth round pick (247th overall) by the New York Rangers in 2004 NHL draft, sported an impressive +13 plus/minus rating and collected 13 points (2 goals, 11 assists) in 37 outings with the Chocolate and White.

In last year’s Calder Cup Playoffs, in his first AHL post-season action, Paiement was the only Bears’ defenseman to light the lamp in Hershey’s eventual five game series loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.